


when it protects the keenness of the sword

by pearl_o



Series: I shall know thy darkness and shall love it [3]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Slavery, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Eating, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-07
Updated: 2013-06-07
Packaged: 2017-12-14 04:38:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/832832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pearl_o/pseuds/pearl_o
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They weren't going to be doing any traveling today.</p>
            </blockquote>





	when it protects the keenness of the sword

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fengirl88](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fengirl88/gifts).



> For a tumblr prompt for this universe and the words wine, discovery, gaze.

They weren't going to be doing any traveling today. When they got to the inn last night, Charles had assured Erik that it was only one more long day's journey by carriage - half that by a lone man on horseback, he'd added, with a glimmer in his eye and a slightly crooked smile. 

But the weather was uncooperative; the roads wouldn't be passable for the carriage. not with the mud like this. Even if they were, Charles had awoken this morning in pain, sore and cramped throughout the parts of his back he could still feel. He wouldn't be getting out of bed, let alone any further, and Erik would be going nowhere without him. Charles would allow it, of course, if Erik wished it, but there would be no point in it, not when the entire aim of them meeting with the doctor at his estate was to examine his new device, to see if it would work with Charles's gift to magnify his thoughts and sensations the way they had planned.

Erik went down to the kitchens himself to fetch Charles's breakfast. He didn't like the look of the inn last night, and he had told Charles so, but Charles had smiled at him and told him he was too much the snob - and besides which, there was nothing else around for ages, so they had no cause to be picky. The state of the kitchens merely served to confirm Erik's suspicions, though, and he snapped at the serving boys until they moved out of his way, and allowed him to arrange Charles's tray himself, selecting only the fruits and cheese and bread that looked least objectionable.

Erik could hear the boys whisper and titter behind him as he worked - oh, of course, he was _that_ kind of slave - but he grit his teeth against it and ignored them. He grabbed a jug of wine as he left; one of them started to object but bit it off when at the look Erik gave him.

Charles was sitting up part way, all the pillows and blankets supporting him. His eyes were closed. Erik set the tray down on the table beside the bed and poured out a tumbler full of wine. 

"Eat," Erik said brusquely.

Charles opened his eyes and smiled wanly as he looked over the meal. "That looks lovely, but I'm not hungry."

"You need to keep your strength up," Erik said, in a tone that allowed no arguments. He knelt down, opening up one of their bag to rummage through to the bottom, past all of Charles's clothes and papers. The medicines were at the bottom, and Erik picked up one of the paper packets and stood back up. He tore it open in his hands and poured the powdered contents into the wine, before picking up the glass and swirling it around in his hand. He handed it to Charles and waited.

Charles took the glass from him with a sigh. "If I take that, I'll be useless for the rest of the day."

"You'll be useless anyway," Erik said impatiently. "Better this than in pain."

Charles sighed again, but he swallowed down a deep gulp of the wine, and then another, before setting it back down on the table.

"Sit here beside me while I eat," Charles said; a request, and not an order, and yet Erik couldn't help but obey. He sat down on the edge of the mattress, alongside Charles's legs, and while Charles picked lightly at the contents of the tray, Erik held an apple in his hand and worked at peeling it with a floating knife. 

Charles watched him with a pleasure he shared with Erik - a pleasure at Erik's talents, at his strength, at the fine workmanship, at how much he had grown since they had met. There was a constant patience in Charles, a constant joy of discovery, that warmed Erik deep in his belly whenever he let himself reflect upon it. 

"Tomorrow the weather should be better," Charles said, between bites of cheese. "We should be able to make it out to Henry's estate."

Erik grunted in response.

"And from there, if his device works-" Charles paused, biting his lips. "Can you imagine how glorious it will be, Erik? To be able to finally find others who are different?"

Erik couldn't imagine it, not really, but he trusted in the vision that Charles saw. It was enough.

"I'll miss this, too, though," Charles said after a few moments. He lay his hand on Erik's thigh, squeezing tightly into the muscle. "The two of us, alone."

"You bought me free and clear," Erik said, "for a frankly ludicrous price. I'm yours until you die, Charles, or until you send me away." He finished the apple, and let the peel fall to the ground beside the bed in one continuous piece. He held the apple up for Charles to admire, and then brought forward, before Charles's mouth, for him to bite.

Charles was frowning, even while he chewed. "I hate it when you speak like that."

Erik shrugged.

"I've offered you your freedom so many times..." Charles said unhappily. "You know I don't think of you as anything but an equal."

"Let it go for now," Erik said. He set the apple down upon the tray and leaned over, until his body was pressed against Charles's and he could kiss him fully. "Go to sleep," he said, as he stood up again. "We'll talk again when you feel better. And perhaps- perhaps the weather won't be as good tomorrow as you expect, Charles. You've been wrong before."

Charles watched him with that same curious, avid gaze. "Do you think so?"

"Perhaps," Erik said again. "And in that case, well. We might have to put off our journey another day before we leave for the estate. And I'll have no choice but to make love to you in this bed all day, will I?"

"There's always choices," Charles said softly, but he was already drifting off, and Erik had no intention of getting caught in a philosophical tangle with Charles yet again, not when he still had yet to find the way to explain to Charles why he was wrong.

He sat in the armchair in the corner and got out his knives to polish, watching over Charles while he slept.


End file.
